The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-10-18
AvEKELL's RAID,


IN A wohsllIrYuL FRIEND. (.
b. Il...
AvERELL's RAID.
Con. Il. +. Kelley Replies to Certain State.
~, N ments Of Don. Avcrell.
In the last issue Of the National Tribune,
OF Washington, D. O., appears the follow.
ing communication from Gen. b. F. Kol.
Icy, addressed to the Editor: a
Arecentissue ofthe National Tribune con.
ntained communication from Capt. ]. NJ.
Rife, Seventh West Virginia Cavalry, upon
"Averell Raid-Succeaafu Sweep to the
Rear Of Lees Army" etc. Some time
anterior to this publication Capt. Rife had
written to ME, stating that he was writing
history OF this raid, and desiring me to
give him my recollecsions Of 1t, which l
did briefly, not having tho copy Of my
orders before me. From this 1t will ap-
pear that was charged with the duty OF
putting this expedition on foot, which
did. I have been panied and surprised to
zee, upon authority Of note from the
editor, that Gen. Averell Is reported as
saying that had nothing to do with the
plan OF the campaign.
It ia not my purpose or desire to get in
TO controversy with brother officer, but
tho Language attributed to Gen. Averell is
so manifestly incorrect, and does me such
gross injuetice that must, in justification
OF myeelf, put the matter right before the
country, and this I can best do by pub
liehing my order to Gen. Averell, the orig
insl Of which is now on file in the War
Department. It is So follows:
HEADQ'Rs, DEPARTMENT OF W4sT Va, !
% CUMBERLAND, MD., Dec. 6, 1868. /
GENERAL: You will proceed with all OF
your available force now at New Greek,
without delay, via Petersburg, franklin,
Monterey, and thence by the mces practi-
cal route to the line Of the Virginia i Ten
nessee Railroad at Bonsack'H Station, in
Botetourt county, or Salem, In Roanoke
county, or by dividing the command, now
move on both points at the ssme time, IS
you may deem most expedient, End de-
atroy all the bridges, authorizations and
depots on the railroad in that neighbor.
hood, and otherwise injure and destroy
the road as far as possible by removing
the rails and rendering them useless by
heating and bending them. ~
Col. Thoburn, First Virginia, command
ing brigade, will report to you at Peters.
burgh with two re2iments OF infantry and
section OF artillery ior the expedition.
This force you will take with you to Mon
terey or to such other point as YOU NAV
deem beat, and leave it 10 guard your train
and await your return. sTz, ~
You will take with you fifteen days ra-
tons Of hard bread, sugar, coffee and salt,
and will rely upon the country through
which you pass for forage and beef cattle.
For these proper vouchers will be given
by the proper officers, auch vouchers to
state the circumstances connected with
the taking, and specify that payment will
be made therefor upon satisfactory evil
dence OF the owners loyalty to the United
States Government. Should more cattle
be found than necessary for the support
Of the command while an the narcb, such
surplus cattle will also be taken land for
which similar vouchers will be given and
sent 10 some convenient point on OF near
the Baltimore & Ohio railroad. E
Interference with private property by
soldie,s Of the command while on the ex-
petition should not be permitted.
After having accomplished the object OF
the expedition you will return to the Bal.
timore 4 Ohio railroad at any point you
may think best between Harper's Ferry
and Now Greek. EFs55s'5s
I am. very respectfully, your obedlent
servant, EgIi6E 4. r., . ..ai.
(sigued) B. F. KELLEY,
$s ,4. Brigadier General.
Brigadier General W ". Arerell, Comnan.
ding First Separate Brigade, N;w crtes,
My orders to General Sullivan, General
Scammon, Colonel Thoburn and Colonel
Moore are also on file in the War Depart
nent, together with their reports to ne
Of the movements Of their respective COM
mands. twill be seen by reference to
these papess that they fully corroborate
all I said to Captain Rife in my note as
published in the National T7ib,t,le Of Sep.
TENDER 8, 1887. It will be observed that
the leet named officers were ordered to
support General Averell's expedition by
attracting the enemy's attention from the
line Of his march by threatening other
points.. also give the following extracts
FROM my report to the GenezRl.in.C Chief OF
the movements Of these different com.
mands: ,IG,8. 5Iag3lT.
HEADo'Rs DErr. OF WKsr VIRGINIA, 81. |
CUMBERLAND, Nd, Feb. IS, 1864. |
In pursuance OF tho intlmatsd wishes OF
the General.in- Chief, on the 9th day OF
December I. ordered Brigadier. G General
Averell, commanding the Firat Brigade, to
move with all his available force via
Petersburg, franklin and Monterey, on
the line 0! tho Virginia & Iennesses
Railroad at Bonsack'e Station, Botetourt
county, OF, Salem, in Roanoke county, and
there destroy The railroad to as great an
extent and aa thoroughly as practicable.
To assist in this movement Gen. Sullivan,
Gen. 6eammon, Col. Moore and Dol. Tho!
burn were to make movements in con.
cert. = - * The troops Of Gen. sulli.
van under Dol. Wells, retired to their
quarters at Qharleatown and Harper'a
Ferry on the GAME day that
Gen. Averell reached Beverly tl9th
Of December) having killed, wound.
ed "A and captured q number s Of
the enemy and having materially
assisted In tho succceaiul ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Of tho general plan. The results Of the
combined movement have been highly
satisfactory and important, inlicting
loss on the enemy Of not leaa than 4Ol
men and an immenseamount Of provisions
material and machinery, and tbe crt.int
of Tor q number OF weeks Of the most I'M
portant line Of communication 1. 4
The behavior Of the troops has been mos
commendablet and the conduct OF th.
different moyements, with one exception